A Trip Of Life (Shidge/Mallura/Klance AU)

Chapter 5-Irrationality

Katie caught Shiro glancing back to assure that she was still keeping up with the rest of them frequently. She would either shoot him a glare or just outright ignore his presence. Other than Lance's lengthy one-sided chat with the helmetless guard, the journey was silent.

Silent enough for Katie to hear movement in the trees beside them. Her head snapped in the direction of the rustling leaves. Two pairs of glowing eyes met her own, shooting a panicked look to the group, she noticed that none of them had acknowledged anything was different. When she returned her vision to the trees, the eyes were gone. Frantically, she searched for them, but there was nothing for her to find in the vegetation.

The girl shook her head, deducing that she was just paranoid. Pivoting, she returned to following the trail along with the others. Except, her foot hit something. Katie swallowed the phlegm in her throat and gradually peered down at her feet to find a small creature with large, round eyes. It presented itself with slender, pointed ears and nearly translucent, pale skin. On the top of its head was a tuff of feathers, pressed backward. Otherwise, the being resembled a freakishly miniature human.

The two of them stared at one another for several seconds before it spouted out something Katie could not understand, but she hoped it was a friendly greeting. "Um, hi?" the young Holt jestered, adding a small wave in attempt to appear welcoming.

Suddenly the tiny creature started to scurry up her leg, freaking Katie out. She screamed and lost balance, falling to the red dirt below. Now, the others noticed that she had fallen behind and was being climbed over by a gremlin.

The small being pulled out one of her hairs, gobbling it up. Disgusting and feeling a little violated, Katie pushed it off one-handedly with a sharp, "Ew!"

It flew off her with a thump, but resumed an upright position rather quickly. "I mean no harm!" it cried out in Altean, mimicking the flustered wave Katie had done just moments before. 

Surprised, the two had another stare session that was ended by Shiro kneeling at her side. He tried to help her up with his good arm, but she hissed in pain at the movement. She definitely reopened some closed wounds with that fall.

The short creature now peered up at Shiro with awe. "You are Prince Takashi Shirogane!" it squealed, "You have returned!"

Everything was happening so fast. "What did it just do?" Katie asked, face contorting in confusion and ponder. Her eyes never left the small figure of the critter before her.

"They're Ferms, small forest dwellers that have the ability to learn language through congested DNA," Shiro answered, "That's why it ate your hair. They're totally harmless and only desire peace and knowledge."

Still bewildered, Katie slowly shook her head in semi-understanding. 

More rustling came from the forest surrounding the group. The royal guard readied different weapons, ranging from swords and spears to bows and long staffs. Out from the trees sprung several more of the Ferms of different shapes and appearances. They shimmered neon with the colorful florescence of the trees. It was simple magical to witness.

The one at Katie's feet spoke to the others in the same language as before, communicating for a lengthy amount of time before focusing on the humans again. "You are seeking shelter and healing, yes? We could smell the blood from our village and came to help. We are closer than any mortal town and we can sense the death that clings to a couple of you," it spoke.

For a moment no one said anything. Of course, the Alteans knew nothing to say. They only had Shiro's words to believe in. Then the guard Lance had been chatting spoke up, saying something in a language that Katie could not understand. 

The Ferm shifted its attention to him, eyes shimmering just as they had with Shiro. "Crown Prince Keith Kogane! You are here as well. Oh, this is a splendid day and is a call for a triple celebration!" The creature said, at first, in the same tongue as Keith, but switched to Altean for those who did not understand it. Then it translated what it just announced to its people and the Ferms rejoiced. 

"Are we going to follow these tiny things that just appeared out of nowhere!? Is that what this guy just said?" Lance queried, brows furrowed in disbelief. Shiro responded with an affirmative nod.

And thus, they found themselves in the small town of the Ferms, where those who were not wounded were offered strange nectars and plenty of plants for consumption and the Holt family, plus Lance and Shiro, were escorted to the town doctor. 

A couple of other Ferms snagged hair off of them as they passed, greeting and wishing them well in their recovery. By time they arrived to the doctor's hut, Matt was worried about a possible bald spot in the back of his head from all the plucking.

The one who led them to the hut was the same Ferm that ate Katie's hair follicle, who had introduced himself as Oze. "Lady Fen is a wondrous doctor. She is wise with age and possesses the knowledge of many healing techniques used all over Voltron--from all five factions!" the little guy droned on, excited to share information of his people.

A cough came from behind Oze and he circled around to find an older looking Ferm. Her eyes were void of color, unlike the rest of the Ferms, who presented colorful pupils that stood out even amongst the neon glow of the forest.

"Yes, I am blind," the elder Ferm confirmed, walking down the shroom steps of the hut, "But that matters little when you are a good healer."

Just like Katie, the others seemed taken aback. "You know Altean?" Matt exclaimed, amazement honeying his voice.

Lady Fen gave a curt nod, waving the wooden staff in her hand. "I have met a many visitors of our planet. I've spoken to the Galra, to the Earthians, the Celts, the Aspirians, and, of course, Alteans," she informed, stopping beside Oze to look up to where Allura laid on Lance's back and Matt on Shiro's, "I will heal those two first, along with the boy." Lady Fen motioned to where Lemia was struggling to hold Cain.

"Lay them against the Mother Tree."